Recipes and news from the makers of Zest Recipe Manager

Zesty Five: March 31-April 6, 2013

A huge part of my love of travel is the chance to try the local food, to discover a new ingredient or flavour. The next best thing is discovering something new in my on back yard, so I’m intrigued by some of the lesser-known offerings in Ben Groundwater’s list of foreign foods yet to make it big in Australia. For even more ideas be sure to skim the comments (online news comments — brave I know!).

(Via Serious Eats.) Ben’s article highlights simple, every day dishes — street food. These dishes become staples in their culture for good reason: they tend to be a straightforward combination of a few fresh, local ingredients. This humble dish from Laos looks like the perfect mouthwatering example — I’ve got to try making it! I just need to get my hands on some tender, fragrant lemongrass.

(Via Life Bites.) It claims to be for the UK but this epic cheat sheet is a handy reference no matter what units of measurement you prefer. And let’s face it, these days you’re as likely to find a recipe in foreign measurements as local ones. If you need a helping hand with conversions, want to improve your knowledge of meat or just want some tips for cooking basics print this out and whack it on your fridge!

(via Mark Bittman.) The science of nutrition is complicated enough without industry marketing muddying the waters. The findings of dentist Cristin Couzens, as described in this Kelly Crowe article, are a timely reminder of the nature and power of big business. We should expect that industry will protect itself, so I’m glad there are people like Cristin our there asking questions. Remember: always check the source of evidence, and their source of funding!

I end this five on a sad note with the passing of Roger Ebert this week. Although better known as a journalist and (in particular) film critic, Ebert was also a keen cook. In recent years, thanks to his blog and book about cooking everything from stews to cakes in a rice cooker, Ebert had developed a cult following online. Kim Severson’s article from 2010 captures the spirit of a man who continued to cook and share his food even when illness had claimed his own ability to enjoy a normal meal.